LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 February Long Beach Signature Coin #460  / 

2052

1794 1C Head of '94. AU55 PCGS. S-50, B-43, R.5

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:5,500.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1794 1C Head of '94. AU55 PCGS. S-50, B-43, R.5
<B>1794 1C Head of '94. AU55 PCGS. S-50, B-43, R.5.</B></I> <B>Bland AU50; tied for CC-1. Noyes XF40; CC-3. Photo #22464. Our EAC Grade XF45.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Equivalents. </B></I>Maris 48 (Frowning Face); Frossard 4; Hays 57; McGirk 9-E; Ross 36-D; Chapman 32; EAC 41; <I>Encyclopedia </B></I>1668; PCGS #901374.<BR><BR><B>Variety. </B></I>Lowest lock is detached from the hair. Closed Wreath, terminal leaves touch. The obverse appears on S-50. The reverse appears on S-49, S-50, S-51, S-52, S-53, and S-54. Lettered Edge, leaf points up.<BR><BR><B>Surfaces. </B></I>Glossy light olive-brown with hints of golden toning, especially on the reverse. This is an attractive cent with few problems on either side. Called finest known by Del Bland, this piece has a grade discount of 10 points by Bill Noyes. In <I>United States Large Cents, 1793-1794</B></I>, Bill Noyes lists the best known examples of each variety, most with illustrations. Each coin is assigned both a sharpness grade and a net grade as well as a surface quality designation, although never with any explanation of the reason a given grade has been discounted.<BR><BR><B>Die State I. </B></I>Although lightly lapped, there is no evidence of clash marks or die cracks. The shoulder loop remains nearly complete on this early die state piece.<BR><BR><B>Appearances. </B></I>The obverse and reverse are illustrated in the 1879 Frossard <I>Monograph</B></I>, in Chapman, in Breen's <I>Large Cent Encyclopedia</B></I>, and in Noyes (2006). The obverse is illustrated in Morley as AU50.<BR><BR><B>Census. </B></I>Fewer than 10 pieces grade better than Fine. This example is one of just three examples that exceed Very Fine. <BR><BR><B>Commentary. </B></I>Although this variety was described by both Maris and Frossard, it was not listed in the 1893 edition of Hays. In the 1910 update by Thomas Elder, it was given variety number 57 and called the Gilbert Variety.<BR><BR><B>Provenance. </B></I><I>George Merritt (Ed. Frossard, 1/1879), lot 96, $11.25; L.F. Montanye; H.G. Sampson (4/1881), lot 307, $6.10; R.A. Britton (H.G. Sampson, 2/1882), lot 766; Ed. Frossard (11/1882), lot 155, $8.25; E.F. Kuithan (Ed. Frossard, 6/1883), lot 247, $15; Philadelphia Collection; Lyman H. Low (7/1906), lot 470, $31.25; Robert Garrett (1919); John Work Garrett; Johns Hopkins University (privately, 3/1973); John W. Adams (Bowers and Ruddy, 1982 FPL), lot 45, $10,000; Denis W. Loring (5/1983); Jack H. Robinson; Dr. Allen Bennett.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Personality. Henry Griswold Sampson</B></I> was born in Vermont about 1840 and died in Brooklyn, New York, in February 1899. In business as a coin dealer in New York City, Sampson conducted 22 auctions from 1881 to 1889, after a brief four-sale partnership with H.P. Smith. Adams discusses Sampson's other business interests: "In addition to his numismatic activities, Sampson sold insurance and printing presses. Such diversification, we suspect, did not cause any serious loss to the hobby."<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
Sign In to Bookmark Lot